Shaping desires-Patriarchal society means that men have the power to shape womens desires so they accept and want traditional roles.

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Domestic violence

1 in 4 murders take place within the family.

Homicide statistics show that 2 women a week are killed by a former or current partner.

The police receive a call from a victim of domestic violence every minute each day.

Dobash & Dobash- 25% of all serious assaults are commited by husbands on wives.

Stanko- 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men report a physical assault by a partner in there lifetime.

Zero tolerance trust- 1 in 5 young men and 1 in 10 young women thought that domestic violence was occasionally acceptable.

Nazroo-Domestic violence has different meanings and affects for men and women.e.g. mens violence is more likely to result in physical injury and female victims are more likely to suffer from anxiety symptom and fear.

Feminists-Believe that domestic violence is an expression of patriarchy (men use patriarchal terrorism to dominate women)- for example attitude seen by men when first womens refuge was opened ( from BBC family series).

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NSPCC- found that a quater of girls aged 13-17 had experienced physical violence from a boyfriend and a third had been pressured into unwanted sexual acts.

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Child abuse

Laing-Family can cause mental disorders such as schizophrenia and depression.

Bernardo's- 1 in 10 children are sexually abused and mostly by family members.

Newson & Newson- found that 41% of 7 year olds were smacked at least once a week.

Department of health- in 1997 had 14000 children on the child protection register.

Creighton and Noyes-Males are more likely to physically/sexually abuse whilst women more likely to neglect children and emotionally abuse them.Abusers more likely lower income groups ( however they are more likely to have contact with social services).

Feminists- say that male/female abuse is a result of patriarchal society.

Radical feminists- say that men are sex driven and dangerous for women and children , and suggest a biological cause for this , many are skeptical of this view.

Others say that poverty causes frustration due to lack of power which leads to abuse (but it doesn't just occur in low income families!)